Relates the thrilling exploits of Rolf in the land of the Vikings: how he becomes an outlaw, and a thrall, and at long last gains his freedom and avenges the unlawful slaying of his father. Through his trials Rolf is challenged to grow in manliness, developing courage, self-control, patriotism, and perseverance, and in the end rising above the feud that has consumed him for so long. The story, inspired by Icelandic sagas, serves as an excellent introduction to the prevailing values of the Viking era. Ages 11-14

251 pages

$10.95

OF ROLF'S SEARCH FOR ONE TO SURPASS HIM WITH THE BOW

[109]

T

WO vows Rolf made before he
slept that night: the first was
that he would yet show his
father's slaying unlawful; the second
was that, so long as he might, he would
neither stand, sit, nor lie, without weapon
within reach of his hand. For Hiarandi
might have saved himself had he but
had his sword. Asdis and Frodi, who
stood by and heard the vows, might
not blame him; for such was the custom
of those days. Then Rolf begged Frodi
to stay with him to help finish the
sowing, and that was done. And when the
spring work was finished on the farm,
[110] then it was within six weeks of the sitting
of the Althing. But Rolf felt that
the work had to be done, for his mother's
sake.

Then Rolf set forth on that quest of
his, to find a man to beat him at the bow.
First he went to Surt of Ere, and begged
him to try skill with him. Then it was
seen that Rolf's strength had so waxed
during the winter, that Surt overshot
him by no more than two yards. Next
Rolf went to Thord of Laxriver, but that
failed completely, for by now Rolf could
shoot even as far as Thord. After that
he went about in the dales, to find men
who were good at archery; but though
he heard of many with great names,
those men proved to be nothing helpful
to Rolf, for none could surpass him at
all. So he began to learn how much is a
little distance, even so much as a palm's
breadth, at the end of a race or of the
[111] fling of a weapon. And time drew on
toward the sitting of the Althing, so that
Rolf feared that he should be able to
make out no case against Einar. At last,
after wide wanderings, he got himself
back to Cragness, and sat wearily at
home for three days, with little to say
or to do.

That third morning Asdis said to him:
"Leave, my son, thy brooding, and let
this matter rest for a while. Over-great
are our enemies, yet mayhap in time our
deliverance will come."

Rolf answered nothing but: "Little
comes to those who seek not."

Now Frodi had gone for one night to
his smithy, which was ten miles from
Cragness, beyond Helgafell, at the head
of Hvammfirth, where there was a ferry
by a little river. When he came back
quoth he: "Yesterday crossed at the
ferry those two men who are most famous
[112] in all the South Firths, and they had a
great company with them."

"Who were they?" asked Rolf at once,
"and what kind was their following,
whether fighting-men or not?"

"Fighting-men were they," answered
Frodi, "but on a journey of peace. For
Kari and Flosi were on their way to visit
Snorri the Priest at his hall at Tongue.
Great would have been thy pleasure at
seeing the brave array."

"Now, would I had been there!" cried
Rolf, springing up. "But I would have
looked at more than the brave array. So
farewell, mother, and farewell, Frodi, for I
too go on a visit to Snorri the Priest."

They could not stay him; he took food
and a cloak, with his bow, and went out
along the firth on that long journey to
Tongue. For he said to himself that in
that company or nowhere else in Iceland
would he find an archer to shoot for him.

[113] Too long is it to tell of that journey,
but it was shortened inasmuch as fishermen
set Rolf across Hvammfirth. Then
he went from Hvamm up to Tongue, and
came to the hall of Snorri the Priest. A
great sight was that hall, for no other that
Rolf had seen was equal to it, and the
hall at Cragness might have been set
inside it. Long it was, and broad; wide
were the porch-doors, and beautiful the
pillars that flanked them. Men went in
and out, carrying necessaries from the
storehouse which stood at another side of
the great yard. And so noble was the
housekeeping of Snorri the Priest, that
at first Rolf feared to enter the hall. But
at last he asked a servant:

"Will it be taken well if I enter?"

"Who art thou," asked the man, "not
to know that all are welcome at Snorri's
house?"

So Rolf went in where all were
feast- [114] ing, for it was the hour of the noonday
meal. Many men were there, and none
took notice of Rolf, save that when he
sat down on the lowest bench one came
and offered food. Rolf would take none.
He cast his eyes about the place, where
twelve fires burned along the middle
of the hall, where were seats for many
people, and where continually servants
went to and fro. All seats were filled
save one or two. But at the further end
of the hall, on the dais, sat a small man,
gray-haired and thin-bearded, with bright
eyes of a light blue. And that was
Snorri the Priest, the greatest man in all
the west of Iceland.

At his sides sat two other men: the
one to his right was iron-gray, bearded
and strong, a man of sixty summers; and
to the left sat a younger man, with no
gray in his light hair, slighter in body,
and yet of vigorous frame. And it was
[115] strange that those two men sat together
in peace, who once had been the bitterest
of foes. For the older was Burning-Flosi,
who had burned Njal in his house; but
the other was Kari Solmund's son, who
had been Njal's son-in-law, and alone of
all the fighting-men had escaped from
that burning. And his vengeance upon
the Burners was famous, for he followed
them in Iceland, and slew many; and
great was his part in the fight at the
Althing, as may be read in Njal's saga.
But when the Burners were outlawed and
fared abroad, then Kari followed them by
land and sea, and slew them where he
met them. No other vengeance is like to
that which Kari, alone, took for his own
son, and for Njal and his sons, Grim the
strong, and Helgi the gentle, and
Skarphedinn the terrible. But Kari missed
Flosi in his searchings; so that Flosi came
to Rome, and was absolved from the sin
[116] of the Burning, and so journeyed home.
But Kari came also to Rome, and was
absolved from the sin of his vengeance,
and went home. Then Kari was wrecked
at Flosi's door, and went to his house for
shelter, to put his manhood to the proof.
But Flosi welcomed him, and they were
accorded; and friends they were thenceforth.

Now all this tale was known to Rolf,
as it was to all men in Iceland, and as it
should be known to all who read of the
deeds of great men. So he sat and
marvelled at those two, how noble they
looked, men who had never done a
guileful deed; and in that they were different
from Snorri, who had won his place by
craft alone. Rolf looked also at those
others who sat by the dais, all men of
station who looked like warriors, some one
of whom might be the man who should
help him against Einar. And he took
[117] great courage, for there were the men of
most prowess in all Iceland.

Now one of the Southfirthers had been
telling a story of Grettir the Outlaw, how
he flogged Gisli the son of Thorstein with
birch twigs. But when the story was
ended, Snorri said:

"Mayhap my son Thorod will tell us
what he knoweth of Grettir."

Then began a snickering among the
servingmen, and those of Tongue looked
mighty wise. But Thorod, Snorri's son,
got up from his seat and left the hall,
saying he would not stay to be laughed
at. When he was gone a great laughter
rose, so that Flosi asked to be told the
cause of it. Snorri said:

"This will show all how Grettir has
wits in his head. Some time ago I was
wroth with my son, for he seemed to me
not manly enough. So I sent him from
me, bidding him do some brave deed
[118] ere he returned. And he went seeking
an outlaw, to slay him. He found one
who had been outlawed for an assault, but
he was a lad; and the woman of the house
where he worked sent my son further, to
find Grettir where he lurked on the hillside.
And Thorod found him and bade him fight.

" 'Knowest thou not,' asked Grettir,
'that I am a treasure-hill wherein most
men have groped with little luck?'

"But for all that my son would fight.
So he smote with his sword, but Grettir
warded with his shield and would not
strike in return. So at last when he was
weary of such doings, Grettir caught up
Thorod and sat him down beside him, and
said: 'Go thy ways now, foolish fellow,
before I lose my patience with thee.
For I fear thee not at all, but the old
gray carle, thy father, I fear truly, who
with his counsels hath brought most men
[119] to their knees.' So my son went away,
and came home, and because the story
pleased me I received him again."

So they laughed again, Southfirthers
and Westfirthers together, and joyous was
the feast. But when all was quiet again,
men saw that Snorri wished to speak, and
they listened. Snorri called his steward,
and said:

"Fetch a stool, and set it here on the
dais, for a new visitor hath come to see
me."

Then the steward fetched a carved
stool, and set it on the dais. He put a
cushion in it, and threw a broidered cloth
over it. And all grew curious to see who
should sit on that stool.

Then Snorri said again: "Few are my
kindred on my mother's side, and not in
many years hath one entered this hall.
But one sits here whose face recalls the
features of my mother Thordisa. Let
[120] that stranger under my roof who claims
to bear the blood of the Soursops, come
forward to me!"

Rolf arose, and while all men stared at
him, he walked to the dais and stood
before Snorri.

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